Headed into Wolverhampton the FWA was still reeling from the betrayal of new World Heavyweight Champion Martin Stone, who used his victory speech last month to expose the ugly truth about his intention to use British wrestling as a stepping stone to a career in America. Fully aware of the damage that could be done to our industry by having a man like the “Guv’nor†hold the UK’s most prestigious title, fans around the country were hoping that Leroy Kincaide could quickly rip the belt from his grasp at Battle Lines and give everyone a champion to rally around. But by the end of a dramatic night in Wolverhampton, the battle between Stone and Kincaide had escalated into a civil war that threatens to engulf everyone in British wrestling…
Trio of traitors spark riot as Stone clings on to the gold
For a fleeting moment on Sunday night it looked as though Leroy Kincaide would slay the dragon before it ever had a chance to spread its wings. After hitting a huge spear on world champion Martin Stone, the challenger was circling his prey for the killer blow and seemed set to banish everyone’s fears about the possible consequences of having Stone as the face of an industry he derides. In contrast to his nemesis, Kincaide would be a champion in whom fans could believe – a champion on whom fans could pin their hopes of a new dawn for British wrestling. But seconds later that hope was brutally snuffed out.
Iestyn Rees, a man with no apparent allegiance to Stone, charged to the ring and attacked Kincaide. The hip hop sensation fought off the challenge and tried to continue the fight but seconds later Dave Moralez and Joel Redman joined the assault, leaving the referee with no alternative but to end the bout. This gang of thugs had promised before Sunday night that they would use Battle Lines to reveal a new leader and suddenly everything became horribly clear: it was Stone.
Kincaide’s friends The Kartel tried to come to his aid but were hopelessly outnumbered, and it was only after the rest of the locker room emptied out that the four villains fled to the stage where the champion explained that they all shared a common agenda: to lay waste to British wrestling and get noticed by the “big leagues†in America. It was a declaration that sent shivers down the spines of everyone who loves the British scene – on his own Stone seemed like a dangerous threat, but flanked by three such dominating allies he may now be unstoppable.
Casualties mount as Stone’s plan starts to unfold
Before anyone else understood the scale of the threat that now faced the FWA, the men at the centre of the plot had started their offensive by delivering potentially fatal blows to the careers of two major stars. The first of these incidents took place after a highly competitive match in the Flyweight Title Tournament. Bubblegum, who had just narrowly lost to his best friend El Ligero, was jumped by Moralez as he tried to return to the backstage area. The “Human Hate Machine†had been suspended from the FWA for six months following his previous encounter with the man from Hubba Bubba Ville, having suffered an upset defeat and angrily struck an official. The 20-stone monster seemed hell-bent on revenge and ruthlessly assaulted his victim while El Ligero was tortured by his own rival RJ Singh in the other half of the ring. After receiving repeated splashes to his injured abdomen from Moralez, things looked bleak for Bubblegum. He was rushed to a local hospital with severe internal injuries, and is still receiving treatment at the time of this report being written.
Less than an hour later another ambulance was required at the end of a much-anticipated six-man tag team grudge match. Darren Burridge made his return to the ring on Sunday in search of payback against Iestyn Rees after the latter tried to permanently damage his weakened left knee at British Uproar. Having been fortunate to escape with his leg in tact on that night, the proud veteran from Essex insisted on making a premature return to the ring and confronting his assailant at Battle Lines. His friends and tag partners The Kartel were determined to protect their mentor throughout the match against Rees, Moralez and Redman, but there was a disturbing sense of inevitability to how thing ended up: with both Sha Samuels and Terry Frazier taken out of commission, Rees was free to inflict more damage on Burridge’s knee and locked in an excruciating half crab. Samuels tried to throw in the towel for his partner but Burridge refused to quit – a brave decision perhaps, but one that may have cost him his ability to walk. Moments later the referee stopped the bout anyway, and the “Pukka One†was helped backstage where medics attempted to assess whether he would ever be able to compete again. We still have no definitive answer to that question several days later, but the prognosis is certainly not good for one of the most memorable figures that British wrestling has seen in the past decade.
Competition intensifies as tag title tournament draws near
With the FWA’s tag division shaping up to be one of the most exciting anywhere in the world, several of the top teams in the country vied to impress FWA management on Sunday night as speculation mounted about how and when the initial holders of the tag team championships would be decided. Stixx and Zack Sabre Jr clashed in the night’s opening singles contest, as both men tried to stem the tide of a two-match losing streak with their respective tag team partners. This was a memorable struggle between Stixx’s brute strength and Sabre Jr’s tenacious attempts to force a submission, eventually won by the Heavyweight House of Pain after he escaped an armbar attempt by knocking his opponent out with a powerbomb. Sabre Jr fought hard, but this was another defeat for the Leaders of the New School, who until recently had been touted by many fans as the best team currently plying their trade in Britain.
Meanwhile Northern Xposure, the men who beat the Leaders at British Uproar, chose to avoid Wolverhampton rather than accept the challenge of the red hot Project Ego. Instead, Kris Travis and Martin Kirby faced off against Retro Pop in a match that was almost overshadowed by the increasingly erratic behaviour of Dave Rayne. Much to the embarrassment of his partner Sam Bailey, Rayne spent much of the match joking around and trying to hug his opponents. This surely contributed to his team’s eventual loss, as Project Ego picked up another victory in an increasingly impressive winning streak.
Singh and Spud butt heads as flyweight showdown approaches
It was probably always asking for trouble: two of the most deluded and egocentric wrestlers in the FWA teamed up on Sunday night when Rockstar Spud recruited RJ Singh to help him accept the challenge of Jonny Storm and Derice Coffie. Singh claimed he accepted the offer because he wanted a chance to “teach a lesson†to Coffie for interrupting his attempts to humiliate El Ligero last November at Hotwired, but a more cynical mind might wonder if Singh was at least partially motivated by the chance to get a closer look at Spud, who he is scheduled to meet shortly in the Flyweight Title Round Robin.
Regardless of the logic directing his decision, Singh did not seem too upset when he “accidentally†struck his tag team partner in the closing moments of Sunday’s match before scoring the pinfall victory over Coffie. As Spud confronted Singh about the incident after the bell, Storm took his chance to gain a measure of revenge on the man who has recently cost him his chance in two major championship tournaments, striking the “baby Jesus of British wrestling†and sending an emphatic response to his rival’s harsh words in the build-up to the contest. Moments later Singh also received a shot to the jaw from the “Wonderkidâ€, and soon enough any pretence of a companionship between the “Bollywood Dream†and his lycra-clad tag partner was blown away.
Ryan and West issue five minute challenge
With scheduled opponent Johnny Moss absent again due to health problems, Jon Ryan was once again left without an opponent on Sunday despite his demands to FWA management that he be allowed to hurt someone. During these backstage exchanges, manager Richie West had the good fortune to pass by and sensed an opportunity. West, who has spent the past couple of years making money out of young stars in promotions across the north east, had been looking for a way to make a name for himself on British wrestling’s biggest stage and had apparently managed to secure a backstage pass for himself at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall. Hearing Ryan’s “discussions†the wealthy young businessman quickly offered a proposal – he would represent Ryan and offered £5000 of his father’s estate to anyone who could survive five minutes in the ring with the “Bad Boy of British Wrestlingâ€.
The first to take up the challenge was Ben Rage, the recent recipient of the British Wrestling Council’s prestigious Scarlo Scholarship. Despite being one of the best young prospects in the country, Rage was outclassed against Ryan despite bringing his tag team partner J.D. Sassoon as backup. The two youngsters were systematically taken apart by the Kent hardman, who won by knockout with plenty of time to spare. Backed by the financial clout of Richie West, it seems entirely possible that Ryan could now make a serious impact on the FWA in the coming months.
ALSO, check back soon for part one of the Battle Lines highlight video and more information on the FWA's Showcase weekend at the London MCM Expo at the London Excel Centre on the 29th and 30th May. Watch this space!
Trio of traitors spark riot as Stone clings on to the gold
For a fleeting moment on Sunday night it looked as though Leroy Kincaide would slay the dragon before it ever had a chance to spread its wings. After hitting a huge spear on world champion Martin Stone, the challenger was circling his prey for the killer blow and seemed set to banish everyone’s fears about the possible consequences of having Stone as the face of an industry he derides. In contrast to his nemesis, Kincaide would be a champion in whom fans could believe – a champion on whom fans could pin their hopes of a new dawn for British wrestling. But seconds later that hope was brutally snuffed out.
Iestyn Rees, a man with no apparent allegiance to Stone, charged to the ring and attacked Kincaide. The hip hop sensation fought off the challenge and tried to continue the fight but seconds later Dave Moralez and Joel Redman joined the assault, leaving the referee with no alternative but to end the bout. This gang of thugs had promised before Sunday night that they would use Battle Lines to reveal a new leader and suddenly everything became horribly clear: it was Stone.
Kincaide’s friends The Kartel tried to come to his aid but were hopelessly outnumbered, and it was only after the rest of the locker room emptied out that the four villains fled to the stage where the champion explained that they all shared a common agenda: to lay waste to British wrestling and get noticed by the “big leagues†in America. It was a declaration that sent shivers down the spines of everyone who loves the British scene – on his own Stone seemed like a dangerous threat, but flanked by three such dominating allies he may now be unstoppable.
Casualties mount as Stone’s plan starts to unfold
Before anyone else understood the scale of the threat that now faced the FWA, the men at the centre of the plot had started their offensive by delivering potentially fatal blows to the careers of two major stars. The first of these incidents took place after a highly competitive match in the Flyweight Title Tournament. Bubblegum, who had just narrowly lost to his best friend El Ligero, was jumped by Moralez as he tried to return to the backstage area. The “Human Hate Machine†had been suspended from the FWA for six months following his previous encounter with the man from Hubba Bubba Ville, having suffered an upset defeat and angrily struck an official. The 20-stone monster seemed hell-bent on revenge and ruthlessly assaulted his victim while El Ligero was tortured by his own rival RJ Singh in the other half of the ring. After receiving repeated splashes to his injured abdomen from Moralez, things looked bleak for Bubblegum. He was rushed to a local hospital with severe internal injuries, and is still receiving treatment at the time of this report being written.
Less than an hour later another ambulance was required at the end of a much-anticipated six-man tag team grudge match. Darren Burridge made his return to the ring on Sunday in search of payback against Iestyn Rees after the latter tried to permanently damage his weakened left knee at British Uproar. Having been fortunate to escape with his leg in tact on that night, the proud veteran from Essex insisted on making a premature return to the ring and confronting his assailant at Battle Lines. His friends and tag partners The Kartel were determined to protect their mentor throughout the match against Rees, Moralez and Redman, but there was a disturbing sense of inevitability to how thing ended up: with both Sha Samuels and Terry Frazier taken out of commission, Rees was free to inflict more damage on Burridge’s knee and locked in an excruciating half crab. Samuels tried to throw in the towel for his partner but Burridge refused to quit – a brave decision perhaps, but one that may have cost him his ability to walk. Moments later the referee stopped the bout anyway, and the “Pukka One†was helped backstage where medics attempted to assess whether he would ever be able to compete again. We still have no definitive answer to that question several days later, but the prognosis is certainly not good for one of the most memorable figures that British wrestling has seen in the past decade.
Competition intensifies as tag title tournament draws near
With the FWA’s tag division shaping up to be one of the most exciting anywhere in the world, several of the top teams in the country vied to impress FWA management on Sunday night as speculation mounted about how and when the initial holders of the tag team championships would be decided. Stixx and Zack Sabre Jr clashed in the night’s opening singles contest, as both men tried to stem the tide of a two-match losing streak with their respective tag team partners. This was a memorable struggle between Stixx’s brute strength and Sabre Jr’s tenacious attempts to force a submission, eventually won by the Heavyweight House of Pain after he escaped an armbar attempt by knocking his opponent out with a powerbomb. Sabre Jr fought hard, but this was another defeat for the Leaders of the New School, who until recently had been touted by many fans as the best team currently plying their trade in Britain.
Meanwhile Northern Xposure, the men who beat the Leaders at British Uproar, chose to avoid Wolverhampton rather than accept the challenge of the red hot Project Ego. Instead, Kris Travis and Martin Kirby faced off against Retro Pop in a match that was almost overshadowed by the increasingly erratic behaviour of Dave Rayne. Much to the embarrassment of his partner Sam Bailey, Rayne spent much of the match joking around and trying to hug his opponents. This surely contributed to his team’s eventual loss, as Project Ego picked up another victory in an increasingly impressive winning streak.
Singh and Spud butt heads as flyweight showdown approaches
It was probably always asking for trouble: two of the most deluded and egocentric wrestlers in the FWA teamed up on Sunday night when Rockstar Spud recruited RJ Singh to help him accept the challenge of Jonny Storm and Derice Coffie. Singh claimed he accepted the offer because he wanted a chance to “teach a lesson†to Coffie for interrupting his attempts to humiliate El Ligero last November at Hotwired, but a more cynical mind might wonder if Singh was at least partially motivated by the chance to get a closer look at Spud, who he is scheduled to meet shortly in the Flyweight Title Round Robin.
Regardless of the logic directing his decision, Singh did not seem too upset when he “accidentally†struck his tag team partner in the closing moments of Sunday’s match before scoring the pinfall victory over Coffie. As Spud confronted Singh about the incident after the bell, Storm took his chance to gain a measure of revenge on the man who has recently cost him his chance in two major championship tournaments, striking the “baby Jesus of British wrestling†and sending an emphatic response to his rival’s harsh words in the build-up to the contest. Moments later Singh also received a shot to the jaw from the “Wonderkidâ€, and soon enough any pretence of a companionship between the “Bollywood Dream†and his lycra-clad tag partner was blown away.
Ryan and West issue five minute challenge
With scheduled opponent Johnny Moss absent again due to health problems, Jon Ryan was once again left without an opponent on Sunday despite his demands to FWA management that he be allowed to hurt someone. During these backstage exchanges, manager Richie West had the good fortune to pass by and sensed an opportunity. West, who has spent the past couple of years making money out of young stars in promotions across the north east, had been looking for a way to make a name for himself on British wrestling’s biggest stage and had apparently managed to secure a backstage pass for himself at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall. Hearing Ryan’s “discussions†the wealthy young businessman quickly offered a proposal – he would represent Ryan and offered £5000 of his father’s estate to anyone who could survive five minutes in the ring with the “Bad Boy of British Wrestlingâ€.
The first to take up the challenge was Ben Rage, the recent recipient of the British Wrestling Council’s prestigious Scarlo Scholarship. Despite being one of the best young prospects in the country, Rage was outclassed against Ryan despite bringing his tag team partner J.D. Sassoon as backup. The two youngsters were systematically taken apart by the Kent hardman, who won by knockout with plenty of time to spare. Backed by the financial clout of Richie West, it seems entirely possible that Ryan could now make a serious impact on the FWA in the coming months.
ALSO, check back soon for part one of the Battle Lines highlight video and more information on the FWA's Showcase weekend at the London MCM Expo at the London Excel Centre on the 29th and 30th May. Watch this space!